stay safe

they/them, early 20s. obligatory "not pr0 anything". my hope for all of us (myself included) is that we'll eventually get into recovery, but in the meantime, I share tips on keeping yourself as physically safe as possible.

[harmreduction4u]

Hello! Quick personal post to let you guys know that I didn't die or anything, I've just been in recovery again. Think it might stick this time! The new meds are definitely working lol (that and the many years of therapy. Looks like the third therapist was the charm!).

Anyway! Hope everyone is doing okay. I just want you guys to know that I relapsed a million times, never thought I'd get better, then literally almost killed myself a few months ago, but now I'm happier with my life than I have ever been. Please keep trying, and take care of yourselves in the meantime.

[pasteltonics]

if you don't feel the depth/severity your sh is at now isn't "valid" let me tell you that your depth will never be enough for you, ever. You pass one barrier, then theres another one. It'll never end. Try your best to not get worse, please

[harmreduction4u]

What's in my first aid kit?

Here's the supplies I use to treat epis and styros at home:

Gauze

This is for stopping bleeding, and applying antibiotic.

Saline Wound Wash

I use this instead of tap water when I'm cleaning styros, because it is more sterile.

Steri Strips/Wound Closures

These are to close styros if they are gaping, which reduces the risk of infection.

Triple Antibiotic

This fights infection, and helps keep bandages from getting stuck.

Non-Stick Pads

For keeping wounds covered.

Medical Tape

This is for securing the non-stick pads. I personally like paper tape the best, because it's easy to change and doesn't irritate my skin too much.

All of this supplies is available at places like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, etc., and each item costs between about $3-$10. If you want some more advice on good first aid practices, please check out my last post here.

Take care of yourselves guys!

[harmreduction4u]

tw self harm

Hi i'm sorry this is probably really silly but your post on "your sh is bad enough" has made me think. Styros has been my "Good Enough" standard for a while now, So ummm i'm sicker then i thought i was? I know sh is bad, but i thought that since mine weren't like some i seen i was okay. Probably sounds really obvious. thanks for listening.

That's not silly at all! Sometimes I fell like I have to go to a certain depth to be "good enough", too, but I've realized from talking to a lot of people that those thoughts are a part of the sickness. Like basically, your average person isn't gonna want to harm themselves to any extent, it's all serious!

Thank you for your ask, hope you're doing okay

[harmreduction4u]

your sh is "bad enough" (in fact, it's probably worse than you think)

If you're scrolling this tag, chances are you've seen a lot of SH pics. You might not think your own SH is so serious anymore. I just want you guys to know that it is serious, you are just desensitized.

While a lot of people feel like their epis aren't that bad, or that regularly hitting styro or beans is normal, that's really just not the case. I legitimately almost got institutionalized last week over a cut that wasn't half as bad as some of the stuff I've seen on here.

Just like. Keep in mind that any level of SH is psychologically concerning behavior lol. You should absolutely seek help if you can, and if you're ready for recovery, it doesn't matter if it's "just" baby cvts

Anyway, hope you guys are doing well! Take care of yourselves <3

[harmreduction4u]

SELF HARM CARE

CONTENT WARNING! detailed talk about wounds, medical/anatomical terms, mention of diseases/infections, mention of self harm (obviously), etc

Courtesy of u/willtherat over on Reddit

[harmreduction4u]

Found this wound wash in the first aid aisle at Kroger, it costs $5.49. I recommend it if you need to clean any styros, it's more sterile than tap water and can help reduce the risk of infection

[harmreduction4u]

How do they treat a deep styr0/shallow beans at Urgent Care?

Hello! I haven't been on here for a while because I was in recovery. Unfortunately, I'm experiencing a bit of a relapse right now, but that's just part of the process.

Recently, I accidentally went deeper than I meant to and ended up with a cvt that was bleeding for over 24 hours. (If this happens to you, go to the ER if at all possible! It's what I should have done in the first place :/) I knew it was too late to get stitches, but decided to go to urgent care anyway because I didn't know what else to do.

Because I know not everyone has access to medical care, here is some detailed info on the treatment I received:

They washed my cvt, I'm not sure with exactly what, but I believe it was a saline wound wash (this is available at many pharmacies and drug stores)

They applied compound benzoin tincture or something similar to the skin around my cvt, which burned slightly, in order to make steri strips stick better (not necessary but helpful if you can get ahold of it!)

They closed my cvt using multiple steri strips, each placed a centimeter or so apart. (you can also buy these at a drug store. Alternatively, butterfly bandages are also useful for this)

They applied triple antibiotic to a bandaid and covered the cvt.

I was told not to get my cvt wet for 24 hours, and then to wash it with soap and water and continue applying triple antibiotic. The doctor said she preferred the triple antibiotic over Neosporin.

Keep in mind that I'm not a doctor, this is just my experience. If you have an injury like this, where you can't stop your bleeding in under twenty minutes, or it is gaping significantly, you should try to get to urgent care or the ER.

Stay safe! <3

[harmreduction4u]

What important work you are doing. thank you.

Oh thanks! I really appreciate it :)

[harmreduction4u]

blisters from butterfly stitches/steri strips? don't worry!

Hi guys! I wanted to share an experience I just had, so that if this happens to you, you'll know what's going on and not freak out like I did lol.

The other day, I removed some butterfly stitches and discovered I had a blister under one of them. As it turns out, this isn't all that uncommon. It could be that the glue irritated your skin, or that the butterfly stitches were just too tight.

These blisters will usually heal all on their own. You can cover them with a bandaid to keep them from popping, just make sure that they're the kind were the sides are open. You want the blister to still be getting air.

Sources:

What causes the blister like bubble to come up on the edges of steri strips? Have 3 now, they have all popped.

Will these blisters leave scars?

How to Get Rid of a Blister on Your Feet, Hands, Lips, and Other Areas

Need to get rid of a blister fast? Learn why leaving it alone might be your best choice and how to safely drain one when you’re out of optio

[harmreduction4u]

Source:

Butterfly Stitches: How and When to Use, Plus Removal Instructions

Butterfly stitches are narrow adhesive bandages that may be used to close small, shallow cuts. They shouldn’t be used for large, gaping woun

[harmreduction4u]

Reminder that it's especially important to keep up with your tetanus boosters if you frequently cvt, because you are gonna be at higher risk than the general population. It's a common misconception that you only get tetanus from rust, but it can actually be contracted from dirt, or even just household dust, getting into wounds of any depth (although it's gonna be more likely for styr0/beans).

You can get a booster every 10 years, and they're very easy to obtain from a pharmacy like Walgreens, CVS, etc. (you can make an appointment online), or from your primary healthcare provider. I was able to get one, uninsured, for about $80, and it took less than half an hour.

Tetanus is an infection caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria, which is also referred to as lockjaw. There are four kinds of vaccines used t

[harmreduction4u]

source:

r/selfharm: A subreddit for self-harmers to relate to each other, ask questions, and build up a community.

[harmreduction4u]

first aid advice, with sources:

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